Shuffleboard type game apparatus



July 14, 1953 A. DURANT SHUFFLEBOARD TYPE GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9, 1950 Y 4, 1953 L. A. DURANT 2,645,492

SHUFFLEBOARD TYPE GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 9. 1950 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iris Aida/0e Patented July 14, 1953 SHUFFLEBOARD TYPE GAME APPARATUS Lyndon A. Durant, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Royal Patent Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application February 9, 1950, Serial No. 143,309

8 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in shuffleboard type game apparatus in which a puck is manually propelled over the playing field in the direction of switch elements disposed contiguous pins simulating bowling pins, whereby upon closing of the switches by the puck, a score is electrically recorded.

More specifically, the invention has to do with an arrangement for returning the spent puck to the player for replay.

An object of the invention is the provision of an arrangement whereby the foregoing is accomplished in a simple and effective manner and by means which may be economically manufactured.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which;

Fig. l is a fragmentary longitudinal, vertical sectional detail view of a game apparatus showing my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the return trough taken substantially on 1ine 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the delivery end of the puck return trough;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail View taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially on line l-1 of Fig. 5.

A puck is a disc, circular in plan view, to pro- Vide relatively flat sides for smooth movement over the playing surface over which it is manually propelled. This invention has to do with an arrangement for automatically returning the puck to the player after the same has been played over the playing surface. To accomplish the foregoing objects of the invention, I provide an amusement game apparatus which comprises a cabinet iii comprising a top wall il providing a playin surface !2, over which the puck is manually propelled. At the end I3 of the playing field, farthest away from the player, are arranged a plurality of switch elements i 4 which are adapted to be engaged by the puck to effect operation of an electrically controlled scoring mechanism (not shown). This mechanism has not been shown or described because it constitutes no part of the present invention. Adjacent this end I3 of the playing field, is an upright cabinet [5 within which the scoring mechanism is housed. The bottom wall of this cabinet is indicated at [6. The end #3 of the playing field terminates short of this wall [6 to provide a transversely extending gutter ll.

This gutter I? is provided by vertically positioned spaced walls i8 and E9. The upper end or mouth portion of the gutter has a curved wall 26 extending from the wall it so as to direct the puck 2! to a position, between the walls 18 and 59, with its edge disposed upon a track 22 arranged between the walls [8 and 19 at the lower longitudinal edges thereof. This track 22 is preferably formed of rubber so as to cushion the impact received thereby from the puck 2|. The upper end portion of the wall I9 is curved toward the end 53 of the playing field so as to provide a guide for the movement of the puck from the playing field into the gutter ii. The track 22 is supported between the walls 18 and i9 by suitable nut-receiving bolts 23, which bolts connect the walls 58 and H) to a depending apron 2d provided by the wall it of the cabinet.

Supported adjacent one of the side walls 25 of the cabinet, is an inclined return trough 26. The pucks are delivered to the receiving end 2'! of this trough by a curved connecting trough 28 which connects the return trough 26 to the gutter ll. The bottom wall 29 of the return trough is V-shaped in cross section, as best shown in Fig. 2, whereby to reduce the friction between the bot- ,tom wall of the return trough and the puck, as

the puck rolls down the return trough. Extending transversely of the cabinet between the side walls thereof and in spaced relation with respect to each other, are partitions 36 which support the return trough 26, these partitions being fixedly secured within the cabinet in any suitable manner. The outlet or discharge end 3| of the return trough 25 communicates with a slot 32 formed in the front wall 33, of the cabinet. Secured to this front wall 33 of the cabinet is a supporting tray or cup 34! into which the puck 2| moves from the return trough and from which cup the puck 21 may be taken for replay upon the playing surface I2.

Above the switches i l in spaced relation with respect to the playing surface l 2, is a horizontally positionedplate 35 which carries a plurality of pins .36 simulating in miniature form standard bowlin pins.

The conventional shufileboard game now on the market and which in its operation requires the use of pucks, is substantially long, making it inconvenient for the player to retrieve a played puck. By incorporating my invention in such a game, the puck is automatically returned to the player. surface i2 into the gutter i1, it assumes an upright position, with its edge disposed upon the track 22 for rolling therealong to the connecting trough 28 for passage into the return trough 26 and thence into the cup 34. The rubber track 22 in addition to absorbing the shock of the puck when engaged thereby, also reduces the noise caused by the puck engaging such track. In its movement down the return trough 26, the puck engages a relatively small portion of thebottom Wall l1, thereby reducing the frictional engagement between the puck and the bottom wall 29 of the return trough 26, with the resultthat the speed of movement of the puck in its travel to the cup 34, is substantially increased.-

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carryin my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a game apparatus in which there is a cabinet having a wall providing a substantially horizontally arranged playing surface,

an inclined gutter at one end of the playing surface and extending transversely with respect thereto, an inclined return trough within the cabinet and extending substantially at right angles with respect to the gutter and having communication with the lower end of said gutter, a receiving cup carried by the cabinet in communication with the discharge end of the return trough, said gutter including a mouth extending wholly transversely of said playing surface'in the plane thereof and adjacent said One end of the playing surface to receive a puck from said playing-surface, said mouth having a wall portion extending transversely of the playing surface and curved in the direction thereof for directing said puck into said gutter in a substantially upright position with respect to the bottom of the gutter. V 2. In combination, a game apparatus in which there is a cabinet having a wall providing a substantially horizontally arranged playing surface, an inclined gutter at one end of the playing surface and extending transversely with respect thereto, an inclined return trough within the cabinet and extending substantially at right angles with respect to the gutter and having communication with the lower end of said gutter and having a bottom wall substantially V-shaped in cross section, a receiving cup carried by the cabinet in communication with the discharge end of the return trough, said gutter including a mouth extending wholly transversely of said playing surface in the plane thereof .and adjacent said one end of the playing surface to receive a puck from saidplaying surface, said mouth having a wall portion extending transversely of the playing surface and curved in the direction thereof for directing said puck into said gutter in a substantially upright position with respect to the bottom of thegutter.

3. In a game device having a playing surface over whichza -disk--'shaped playing piece may be As it slides off the end [3 of the playing ginal edge 0f-a portion of said playing surface,

said hopper comprising an approximately vertical wall extending transversely of said direction, a

second wall extending transversely of said direction opposite said vertical wall, said second wall slopingfrom the .top progressively inwardly of said hopper to approach the vertical and being spaced from the vertical wall a distance not closer than the thickness ofthe playing piece, and a bottom inclined toward said channel forming means, said walls and bottom forming a guide channel extending transversely of said direction, and a curved channel-forming section connecting said guide channel and said channel-forming means. y

4. In a game device having a playing surface over which a disk-shaped playing piece may be slidably propelled generally in one direction and a storage station for the playing piece located at the end from which the playing pieces are propelled, means for returning the playing piece to the storage station comprising channel-forming means extending generally in said direction and inclined downwardly toward the storage station for guiding the playing piece rollably on edge, a playing piece receiving hopper disposed beneath the plane of the playing surface and having a playing piece receiving opening adjacent a marginal edge of a portion of said playing surface,

said hopper having an approximately vertical wall extending transversely of said direction and a second wall extending transversely of said direction opposite said vertical wall, said second wall from its top edge inwardly being progressively inclinedto approach the vertical and to, approach said vertical wall to formtherewith a guide channel of a width slightly greater than the thickness of a playing piece so as to receive a playing piece in on edge position only and said guide channel having a bottom inclined toward said channel-forming means, and a curved channelforming section connecting said guide channel and said channel-forming means.

5. In agame device having a playing surface over which a disk-shaped playing piece may be slidably propelled generally in one direction and a storage station for the playing piece located at the end from which the playing pieces are propelled, means for returning the playing piece to the storage station comprising channel-forming means extending generally in said direction and inclined downwardly toward the storage station for guiding the playing piece rollably on edge, a playing piece receiving hopper disposed beneath the plane. of the playing surface and having a playing piece receiving, opening adjacent'a marginal edge of a portion of said playing surface, saidhopper comprising an approximately vertical wall extending transversely of said direction, a second Wall inclined downwardly toward said vertical walland extending transversely of said direction-to form a guide channel and means forming a bottom for said channel slightly wider than-the thickness of a playing piece and inclined downwardly toward said channel-forming means, and means forming a curved channel section connecting said guide channel and said channel-forming means.

6. In a game device having a playing surface over which a disk-shaped playing piece may be slidably propelled generally in one direction and a storage station for the playing piece located at the end from which the playing pieces are propelled, means for returning the playing piece to the storage station comprising a channel-forming means extending generally in said direction and inclined downwardly toward the storage sta tion for guiding the playing piece rollably on edge, a playing piece receiving hopper disposed beneath the plane of the playing surface and having a playing piece receiving opening adjacent a marginal edge of a portion of said playing surface, said hopper having an approximately vertical wall extending transversely of said direction, a second wall portion extending transversely of said direction inclined downwardly toward said vertical Wall with the lower edge of said wall portion spaced from said vertical wall a distance less than the diameter of the playing piece and greater than the thickness of said playing piece to form a guide channel supporting the playing piece generally in on edge position, and a member forming a bottom for said hopper inclined toward said channel-forming means, said channel-forming means being connected at its higher end in playing piece receiving relation to the lower end of said hopper.

7. In a game device having a playing surface over which a disc-shaped playing piece may be slidably propelled generally in one direction and a storage station for the playing piece located at the end from which the playing pieces are propelled, means for returning the playing piece to the storage station comprising a channelforming means extending generally in said direction and inclined downwardly toward the storage station for guiding the playing piece rollably on edge, a playing piece receiving hopper disposed beneath the plane of the playing surface and having a playing piece receiving opening adjacent a marginal edge of a portion of said playing surface, said hopper having an approximately vertical wall extending transversely of said direction and a second Wall forming the opposite side of the hopper also extending transversely of said direction, said second wall sloping from the top progressively inwardly of said hopper to approach the vertical and together with said vertical wall forming a guide channel extending transversely of said direction and provided with a bottom inclined toward said channel-forming means and just slightly wider than the thickness of a playing piece, and a curved channel-forming section connecting said guide channel and said channel-forming means.

8. In a game device having an elongated playing surface with a transversely extending opening therein and a scoring zone immediately adjacent the opening over which a disc-shaped playing piece may be propelled generally longitudinally thereof and across the scoring zone and a storage station for the playing piece near the end of the playing surface remote from the scoring zone, means for returning the playing piece to the storage station comprising a playing-piecereceiving hopper disposed beneath the opening in the playing surface and having an approximately vertical wall extending transversely of the playing surface, a second wall extending transversely of the playing surface opposite said vertical wall,

said vertical wall having a curved section extending above and to the rear of the playing surface, said second ,wall having beneath the playing surface a portion inclined progressively to approach the vertical and said vertical wall, and an inclined bottom slightly wider than the thickness of a playing piece, said walls and bottom forming a guide channel extending transversely of the playing surface, and means forming an inclined channel for guiding a playing piece while rolling on its periphery, said channel-forming means being connected at one end in playingpiece-receiving relation to the lower end of said hopper and extending from there in a direction generally longitudinally of the game device playing surface.

LYNDON A. DURANT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,523,775 Howard et al. Jan. 20, 1925 1,562,008 Stevenson Nov. 17, 1925 1,983,044 Maynard Dec. 4, 1934 2,097,029 Hope Oct. 26, 1937 2,317,126 Biderman Apr. 20, 1943 2,521,563 Beck Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 758,602 France Jan. 20, 1934 

